Tragedy in Illinois, as a 17-year-old girl died after losing consciousness during a routine wisdom tooth extraction, the cause being a rare genetic disorder.
In a tragic incident that evoked widespread sympathy in the United States, the American girl Sophie Farmer, 17, died suddenly while undergoing a routine wisdom tooth surgery at "Northern Lakes" Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center in Grayslake, Illinois, some 80 kilometers from Chicago.
According to the American magazine People, quoting Dan Pierre, the Grayslake Fire Department chief, the medical staff called emergency services to report a cardiac arrest at the clinic. When the paramedics arrived, the girl was not breathing, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intubation were immediately initiated.
The report stated that Sophie regained her pulse while being transported in the ambulance, but she never regained consciousness and was transferred to the Advocate Children's Hospital, where she died three days later, on the 24th of July.
After a three-month investigation, the Cook County Medical Examiner's office announced that the death was due to complications from a rare genetic disorder known as ARID1B, stating that the cause was natural, although the surgery was a contributing factor in worsening the condition.
The ARID1B disorder is known as a rare genetic disease that causes developmental delays and motor and cognitive difficulties, along with speech and communication disorders. It is often diagnosed late due to the variety of its symptoms and the rarity of precise genetic testing.
The Fire Department chief stated that the medical team was unaware of the girl’s genetic condition, adding regretfully, "It was a sad end to the life of a seventeen-year-old girl, and no information about her genetic condition was mentioned in the medical records."
Sophie's family mentioned in their obituary that she was a beloved and bright girl who loved nature, animals, and faith, and her parents wrote: "From the moment of her birth, she filled our hearts with love and laughter. She loved boating and camping, and never met a dog she didn’t want to keep. Above all, she loved the Lord."
Sophie was active in her local church and participated in the choir, known among her friends for her kindness and her dedication to praying for others. Her funeral was held on the second of August, amid great sorrow among her family and friends.
